St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-02-12
AN AMERICAN LORD.
Baron Stiegers Splendid Castle at
Shaefferstown, Pa
Going Through Great Fortune-Festivitics
That Always Marked His Arrival at
Thurm- Berg-Died an Obscure
SchOOlmaster.

SnacHerStOWn Is Il llttle Village IvlnS
in the south of Lebanon County. Pa.
with no special significance attaching
10 it. Nature has, however, surrounded
il with beauteous outlines of landscape,
and it ncstles among hills. high and
low, as if it aspired to nothing more
than the sweet amenities Of seclusion.
1t was originally settled by German
Jews. In the first years of the eigh-
teenth century they came here and. as
if by some prearranged understanding
Of its great natural beauty and fitting
advantages. they built themselves
homes in the valley and became COM
munity of most peculiar people. The
accessions to this settlement became
numerous, until it had gained the repu-
tation far and wide of being the most
unique and clannish colony that had
found home in this land. The syna-
gogue that they built, and the para
phernalia of their imported rabbi. be-
came a great attraction to the outside
settlers, who often ventured into the
worship of their Sabbath Day. In the
wear 1882 they already had constructed
a graveyard, built in with heavy and
substantial stone wall. The remains OF
II are pointed out to-day. About one
half mile south of ShaefferstOwH, close
TO the Lancaster road, it rests in half
preserved but neglected state. The
most adhesive cement and most expert
masonry evidently were used. for the
wintry blasts of more than one hum
dred and fifty years have not quite de-
stroyed this relic.
But sudden and extraordinary rs was
the advent of this people. SO was their
deuarture. 1t was almost like q dream
of a single night. As between sunrise
and sunset the new town was deserted
and no vestige of Israel remained save
the dead that lay on the hill. Then
Germans of another faith came-Luthe-
rams and German Reformed. among
whom was one Shaeffer. who. through
influence and wealth, became the pro-
prietor of the place. and also became
the father of the little town. In l145 it
had no less than one hundred unassunl-
ing little houses, several stores and
tayerus, and i'm l765 bell of the Protest
ant faith rung out above stone church
whose tolling has never ceased.
But another more interesting histori-
cal fact gives dignity to the surround
inys of this place. There is lofty hill
that frowns with its grim heights upon
the little village from the south. 1t is
styled the .'Thurm-Berg." or Tower
Hill. On that lofty eminence a certain
william Henry StieSel had erected a
tower. or castle, and certain phases of
its ruins can he noticed this day. There
are those living who have n very cor
ract representation of the odd structure,
given them by former generations. but
in the absence of better history very
fantastic mass of legends concerning its
owner are extant. This German Baron
was however, a most eccentric man.
He was altogether the most notorious
figure in all that region around. and the
many lavish and extraorJlinaEE expendi-
tures in business enterprises and in the
rubl;c qualification of his whims adver-
t;sed him in the great social and mer-
cantile centers of the cities. He had a
most checkcred career. He was a
Baron in Europe. In America he ap-
narcntly disrobed himself of the garb OF
a titled gentleman and launched into a
. busy life, spending money like q
,r;nce. He became an iron-master. a
GLASS manufacturer. and even for awhile
.s<umed the functions Of preacher.
when later. through the changed 5Sicis-
s;tudes of fortune. he acted the school,
master. His life. in the full detail Of
all its successes and adversities. it prodi-
ra,ities Of gayety and wealth and its
,,;nche,l reverses Of sadness and poverty.
would make one Of the most interesting
romances in print.
BARON Stiegel had two magnificent
r,laces, and perhaps three. There Is
i;,,le more known about him in the ira
d;,;ons and histories of Shaefferstown
than belongs to his tower and to the
s,.laen visits to it. That tower may
have served him all the purposes OF an
.hae while here. But at Mannheim. ten
,ailes south Of this place, he had built =